Cleaning system installation for swimming pools



F. M. NASH A ril 18, 1967 CLEANING SYSTEM INSTALLATION FOR SWIMMINGPOOLS I Filed Oct. 18, 1963 H m m M D HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,314,543 CLEANING SYSTEM INSTALLATIUN FOR SWIMMKNG PGOLS Floyd M. Nash,Little Rock, Ark, assignor to Jacuzzi Bros, Incorporated, a corporationof California Filed Oct. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 317,341 6 Claims. (Cl.210169) My invention relates to swimming pOOls and more particularly toa cleaning system arrangement for swimming pools.

The water in a swimming pool should be continually cleaned and filtered,and the pool itself should be maintained clean and free of dirt andsediment accumulation on the floor thereof, and floating debris on thesurface of the water.

A drain, at the lowermost point of the pool floor, and connected to theintake of the pool pump, permits of continual circulation of the poolwater, while skimming means built into the pool wall serves to skim oftfloating debris from the surface. A long handled vacuum cleaner permitsof vacuuming sediment accumulations from the floor of the pool.

Among the objects of the present invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved means in the construction of aswimming pool for facilitating all the cleaning operations associatedwith the maintenance of such pool;

(2) To provide a novel and improved skimmer installation for swimmingpools;

(3) To provide a novel and improved vacuum cleaner coupling installationfor a swimming pool;

(4) To provide novel and improved means in a swimming pool constructionfor selectively or jointly connecting a pool drain and skimmer to thesuction line of the pool pump.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view in sect-ion through the pertinent portion of aswimming pool embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a three-dimensional view of a skimmer assembly included inthe construction of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view in section through the skimmer assemblyof FIGURE 2, depicting the skimmer component in its low level position.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferredform, the swimming pool embodying the present invention comprises a pool1 having .a side wall 3 topped by a pool deck 5, and at its lower endconnecting with the pool bottom 7. This side wall has a skimmer cavity 9just below the pool deck and which extends beyond the thickness of theside wall, terminating over a shallow sump 11, in the floor of which isprovided a drain opening 13.

Just below the skimmer cavity, the wall is provided with a cylindricalvalve passageway 15 extending through the wall and beyond.

Both the cylindrical valve passageway 15 and the drain opening 13 arelined with pipe or tubing 17, 19 respectively, the pipe 17 connectingwith the suction line 21 of the pool pump (not shown) and the drain pipe19 connecting into the valve passageway pipe 17 to provide for flow fromeach to the suction line of the pump.

In the pool bottom is provided a conventional drain 25, connected bypipe 27 to the valve passageway pipe 17 whereby the pool drain will alsobe flow connected to the pool pump, the point of connection of the drainpipe 27 being shown not in alignment with the drain pipe 19.

In the valve passageway is disposed a hollow cylindrical valve 31, openat one end, and closed at its other end, preferably by a permanentlysecured cap or flanged closure 33. This valve is insertable into thevalve passageway, with its open end toward the suction line of the pump,and its capped end exposed adjacent the proximate wall surface where itmay be conveniently grasped for rotation or removal of the valve.

This valve is provided with openings 41, 43 in alignment respectivelywith the drain pipe 19 from the skimmer cavity and the drain pipe 27from the pool drain, such valve openings being so disposed as to enableflow connection to the valve passageway from either or both the drainopening and the pool drain.

The exposed end of the valve may be suitable indexed to indicaterelative positions of the valve openings 41, 43 with respect to thedrain opening from the skimmer cavity and the pool drain connection.Thus either or both may be coupled to the pool pump by way of itssuction line 21.

'As an alternative, the drain pipe 27 may be connected to the valvepassageway pipe 17 in alignment with the drain pipe 19 whereby only theone opening 41 would be required.

When it is desired to vacuum the pool, the valve 31 may be withdrawnfrom its passageway, and the hose line from the vacuum head of a poolvacuum cleaner in serted into the valve passageway to effect a flowconnection from the vacuum head to the pool pump.

The skimmer cavity is adapted to rem-ovably receive skimmer means 51 ofa construction illustrated in detail in FIGURES 2 and 3 as including apair of sheet metal side walls 53, 55 connected by a bottom 57, the sidewalls having outwardly directed flanges at one end with a screen cage 61connected to the rear edges of the side walls 53, 55 and bottom 57, andextending over the skimmer drain opening 13.

A weir assembly 65 extends between the side walls 53, 55 to which it ispivotally secured adjacent the entrance to the skimmer cavity. This weirassembly includes a pair of pivot arms 67, 69, each adapted at one endfor pivotal securement to one of the side walls, which pivotalsec-urement may be realized by providing a pivot pin 71 at a properlocation on each of the side walls adjacent the entrance to the skimmercavity, and pivotally securing one of the side arms to the proximate oneof such pins by providing a pin opening at that end of the side arm toreceive such pin.

To the free ends of the side arms 67, 69, is hingedly secured a floatgate 75 having an apron 77 extending to the opposite side of the hingedaxis, the weight of which, however, is not sufiicient to counter-weightthe float gate 75. To hingedly secure the float gate to the side arms,the free ends of the arms are connected in spaced relationship by ahinge strap 79 to which the float gate may be bolted.

In operation, the float gate will rise with increase in level of waterin the pool, and will be maintained just below the surface of such levelby the lower edge of the apron striking the floor 57 of the skimmermeans, whereby the thin film of water flowing over the gate will carrywith it such floating debris as may enter the cavity. Debris 'such asleaves or twigs, will be strained out by the screen cage while thesmaller particles will be carried off down the drain and pumped throughthe filter of the pool system and thereby removed from the water.

In aflixing the float to the hinge strap 79, the attaching bolts 81 areinserted from above so that the ends to which the nuts are attached,will extend below the float sufiiciently to engage the floor 57 of theskimmer means in advance of the float gate during a lowering of thewater levelin the pool, whereby the float and its apron will remain inhorizontal spaced relationship to the floor of the skimming means. withsuch spacing, skimming action can continue until the water level in thepool should drop below the floor elevation of the cavity.

Otherwise, if the float gate were permitted to drop into engagement withthe floor 57, the skimming function would be inhibited when the waterlevel dropped to the upper edge of the float gate, thus materiallycutting down the range of water level wherein skimming may beaccomplished.

While I have illustrated and described my invention in detail, it willbe appreciated that the same is subject to alteration and modificationwithout departing from the underlying principles involved, and Iaccordingly, do not desire to be limited in my protection to thespecific details illustrated and described except as may be necessitatedby the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Swimming pool installation comprising a pool having a pool walltopped by a pool deck and connecting at its lower end :with the poolbottom,

said pool wall having a skimmer cavity just below said pool deck havinga floor and including a downwardly directed drain opening,

a Valve passageway in said wall at an elevation below said skimmercavity,

means flow connecting said skimmer drain opening with said valvepassageway,

a drain in said pool bottom,

means flow connecting said pool bottom drain with said valve passageway,

valve in said valve passageway,

said valve being provided with opening means, which,

in the installed position of said valve, may be selectively rotated tobring said opening means either into flow communication with saidskimmer drain connecting means or said pool bottom drain connectingmeans,

a pool pump suction line,

means flow connecting said valve passageway with said pump suction line,whereby said pump suction line may be selectively connected to eithersaid skimmer drain or said pool bottom drain,

and skimmer means in said skimmer cavity, said skimmer means including apair of side walls within and adjacent the entrance to said cavity,

a screen cage including a screen bottom and unstanding sides, with saidsides connected to the rear ends of said walls, said cage being of alength to extend over said skimmer drain opening, and

a weir assembly extending between said side walls and pivotally securedthereto adjacent the entrance to said skimmer cavity,

said weir assembly including a pair of pivot arms, each adapted at oneend for pivotal securement to one of said side walls,

a float gate of a length comparable to the width of said skimmer cavityand hingedly mounted to the free ends of said pivot arms in slightspaced relationship to the floor of said cavity when said arms are intheir lowermost position,

said float gate having an apron extending to the other side of the hingeaxis of said gate and also in slight spaced relationship to the floor ofsaid cavity in the lowermost position of said pivot arms.

2. Swimming pool installation comprising a pool having a pool walltopped by a pool deck and connecting at its lower end with the poolbottom,

said pool wall having a skimmer cavity just below said pool deck havinga floor and including a downwardly directed drain opening,

a cylindrical valve passageway extending through said wall at anelevation below said skimmer cavity,

means flow connecting said skimmer drain opening with said valvepassageway,

a drain in said pool bottom,

means flow connecting said pool bottom drain with said valve passageway,

a hollow cylindrical valve having an open end and a closed end,insertable in said valve passageway with said closed end exposed,

said hollow cylindrical valve being provided with opening means, which,in the installed position of said valve, may be selectively rotated tobring said opening means either into flow communication with saidskimmer drain connecting means, said pool bottom drain connecting means,or both,

a pool pump suction line,

means flow connecting said valve passageway with said pump suction line,whereby said pump suction line may be selectively connected to eithersaid skimmer drain, said pool bottom drain or to both,

and skimmer means in said skimmer cavity, said skimmer means including apair of side walls within and adjacent the entrance to said cavity,

a screen cage including a screen bottom and upstanding sides, with saidsides connected to the rear ends of said walls, said cage being of alength to extend over said skimmer drain opening, and

a weir assembly extending between said side walls and pivotally securedthereto adjacent the entrance to said skimmer cavity,

said weir assembly including a pair of pivot arms, each adapted at oneend for pivotal securement to one of said side walls,

a float gate of a length comparable to the width of said skimmer cavityand hingedly mounted to the free ends of said pivot arms in slightspaced relationship to the floor of said cavity when said arms are intheir lowermost position,

said float gate having an apron extending to the other side of the hingeaxis of said gate and also in slight spaced relationship to the floor ofsaid cavity in the lowermost position of said pivot arms.

3. Skimmer means for installation in the skimmer cavity of a swimmingpool w-all, said skimmer means including a pair of side walls and meansadjacent the bottom of said wall for maintaining the walls in spacedrelation ship,

a screen cage including a screen bottom and upstanding sides, with saidsides connected to the rear ends of said walls, and

a weir assembly extending between said side walls and pivotally securedthereto adjacent the opposite ends thereof,

said weir assembly including a pair of pivot arms, each at one endpivotally secured to one of said side walls,

a float gate of a length comparable to the width of such skimmer cavityand hingedly mounted to the free ends of said pivot arms in slightspaced relationship to said spacing means when said arms are in theirlowermost position,

said float gate having an apron extending to the other side of the hingeaxis of said gate and also in slight spaced relationship to said spacingmeans in the lowermost position of said pivot arms.

4. Skimmer means for installation in the skimmer cavity of a swimmingpool wall, said skimmer means including a pair of side walls connectedby a bottom, said side walls having outwardly directed flanges at oneend for engagement with such pool wall when installed therein,

a screen cage including a screen bottom and upstanding sides, with saidsides connected to the other ends of said walls, and

a Weir-assembly extending between said side walls and pivotally securedthereto adjacent the flanged ends thereof,

said weir assembly including a pair of pivot arms, each at one endpivotally secured to one of said side walls,

a float gate of a length comparable to the width of said skimmer cavityand hingedly mounted to the free ends of said pivot arms,

an element extending from the hinge axis of said float gate and adaptedto strike said bottom in advance of said float gate to maintain saidfloat gate in slight spaced relationship to said bottom when said armsare in their lowermost position,

said float gate having an apron extending to the other side of the hingeaxis of said gate and also in slight spaced relationship to the bottomof said skimmer means in the lowermost position of said pivot'arms.

5. Skimmer means for installation in the skimmer cavity of a swimmingpool Wall, said skimmer means including a pair of spaced apart sidewalls,

a weir assembly extending between said side Walls and pivotally securedthereto adjacent corresponding ends of said side Walls,

said weir assembly including a pair of pivot arms, each at one endpivotally secured to one of said side walls,

a float gate of a length comparable to the spacing between said sidewalls and hingedlymounted to the free ends of said pivot arms,

and means located between the wall for maintaining said float gate inslight spaced relationship to the floor of a skimmer cavity wheninstalled therein and when said arms are in their lowermost position.

6. Skimmer means for installation in the skimmer cavity of a swimmingpool wall, said skimmer means includmg a pair of spaced apart sidewalls,

a weir assembly extending between said side walls and pivotally securedthereto adjacent corresponding ends of said side walls,

said weir assembly including a pair of pivot arms, each at one endpivotally secured to one of said side walls,

a float gate of a length comparable to the spacing between said sidewalls and hingedly mounted to the free ends of said pivot arms,

means located between the walls for maintaining said float gate inslight spaced relationship to the floor of a skimmer cavity wheninstalled therein and when said arms are in their lowermost position,

said float gate having an apron extending to the other side of the hingeaxis of said gate and maintained also in slight spaced relationship tothe floor of such cavity in the lowermost position of said pivot arms.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 255,881 4/1882Morrison 137-625.41 X 306,168 10/1884 Moseley 137-62541 X 883,467 3/1908Mitchell 2l0-169 1,777,608 10/1930 Englebright 137625.41 2,701,2352/1955 King 210-169 X 2,739,939 3/1956 Leslie 210-169 X 2,844,255 7/1958Cavenah et al. 2l0169 3,080,060 3/1963 Blumenkranz et a1. 210-169 REUBENFRIEDMAN, Primary Examiner. F, MEDLEY, Assistant Examiner,

1. SWIMMING POOL INSTALLATION COMPRISING A POOL HAVING A POOL WALLTOPPED BY A POOL DECK AND CONNECTING AT ITS LOWER END WITH THE POOLBOTTOM, SAID POOL WALL HAVING A SKIMMER CAVITY JUST BELOW SAID POOL DECKHAVING A FLOOR AND INCLUDING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED DRAIN OPENING, AVALVE PASSAGEWAY IN SAID WALL AT AN ELEVATION BELOW SAID SKIMMER CAVITY,MEANS FLOW CONNECTING SAID SKIMMER DRAIN OPENING WITH SAID VALVEPASSAGEWAY, A DRAIN IN SAID POOL BOTTOM, MEANS FLOW CONNECTING SAID POOLBOTTOM DRAIN WITH SAID VALVE PASSAGEWAY, VALVE IN SAID VALVE PASSAGEWAY,SAID VALVE BEING PROVIDED WITH OPENING MEANS, WHICH, IN THE INSTALLEDPOSITION OF SAID VALVE, MAY BE SELECTIVELY ROTATED TO BRING SAID OPENINGMEANS EITHER INTO FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID SKIMMER DRAIN CONNECTINGMEANS OR SAID POOL BOTTOM DRAIN CONNECTING MEANS, A POOL PUMP SUCTIONLINE, MEANS FLOW CONNECTING SAID VALVE PASSAGEWAY WITH SAID PUMP SUCTIONLINE, WHEREBY SAID PUMP SUCTION LINE MAY BE SELECTIVELY CONNECTED TOEITHER SAID SKIMMER DRAIN OR SAID POOL BOTTOM DRAIN, AND SKIMMER MEANSIN SAID SKIMMER CAVITY, SAID SKIMMER MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF SIDEWALLS WITHIN AND ADJACENT THE ENTRANCE TO SAID CAVITY, A SCREEN CAGEINCLUDING A SCREEN BOTTOM AND UNSTANDING SIDES, WITH SAID SIDESCONNECTED TO THE REAR ENDS OF SAID WALLS, SAID CAGE BEING OF A LENGTH TOEXTEND OVER SAID SKIMMER DRAIN OPENING, AND A WEIR ASSEMBLY EXTENDINGBETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS AND PIVOTALLY SECURED THERETO ADJACENT THEENTRANCE TO SAID SKIMMER CAVITY, SAID WEIR ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A PAIR OFPIVOT ARMS, EACH ADAPTED AT ONE END FOR PIVOTAL SECUREMENT TO ONE OFSAID SIDE WALLS, A FLOAT GATE OF A LENGTH COMPARABLE TO THE WIDTH OFSAID SKIMMER CAVITY AND HINGEDLY MOUNTED TO THE FREE ENDS OF SAID PIVOTARMS IN SLIGHT SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO THE FLOOR OF SAID CAVITY WHEN SAIDARMS ARE IN THEIR LOWERMOST POSITION, SAID FLOAT GATE HAVING AN APRONEXTENDING TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HINGE AXIS OF SAID GATE AND ALSO INSLIGHT SPACED RELATIONSHIP TO THE FLOOR OF SAID CAVITY IN THE LOWERMOSTPOSITION OF SAID PIVOT ARMS.